The Malone University football team dropped to 1-5 on the season after suffering a 35-16 setback to Alderson Broaddus University in Saturday's Homecoming contest. The game was Malone's first-ever Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) competition and the conference's first this season.
 
The Pioneers had a lead early in the fourth quarter, but Alderson Broaddus senior workhorse back Brandon Jones ran for 101 yards on the final three drives and quarterback Dakota Bruggeman accounted for three fourth-quarter scores as the Battlers pulled away for the win.
 
Jones got things started in the first quarter when he capped off a 12-play, 84-yard drive with a touchdown run from six yards out that put the visitors ahead 7-0. The Battlers chewed off nearly five minutes in the first-quarter drive. Malone answered with its own scoring drive: a six-play, 64-yard drive that ended with a Marcus Moeller field goal from 27 yards out.
 
The Battlers got on the scoreboard again in the second quarter after another methodical five-minute drive.  A 13-yard touchdown pass from Bruggeman made it a 14-3 contest just before halftime.
 
With the score still 14-3 in the third quarter Malone junior cornerback Jordan Johnson stepped in front of a Bruggeman pass and returned it 38 yards for a pick-six that gave Malone a little bit of life. Moeller's PAT made it 14-10 with 12:05 remaining in the quarter.
 
Three possessions later, the Pioneers took over at their own 30-yard line after forcing a turnover on downs with a big defensive stop on 4th-and-1. The Pioneers moved the football into Alderson Broaddus territory just before the end of the third quarter to set up for a fourth-quarter comeback. On the first play in the fourth quarter, Malone quarterback John Iacucci found a streaking Ashton Dulin down the left sideline. Dulin jumped up to make the catch, avoided a tackle, and jaunted into the endzone for the 47-yard score. Moeller's point after try was blocked but Malone still managed its first lead of the game at 16-14.
 
Unfazed, the Alderson Broaddus offense went back to work on yet another long drive, going 75 yards on 13 plays to regain the lead with just over 10 minutes remaining in the contest. Bruggeman's quarterback sneak from a yard out gave the Battlers a 21-16 edge.
 
On the next possession, Alderson Broaddus strong safety Malcolm Lee made a crucial defensive play. Following a completion to Dulin over the middle, Lee stripped the football from the wideout and recovered his own forced fumble just before stepping out of bounds at the Malone 42-yard line.
 
With the momentum on their side, the Battlers effectively put the game away on the next drive, using nine plays to go for 42 yards. Bruggeman found wide receiver A.J. Cummings from six yards out to make it 28-16.
 
After a Malone turnover on downs, the Battlers ran the majority off the clock on their next possession. Putting together another methodical drive, AB went 41 yards on 10 plays before finding paydirt again. Bruggeman found Cummings for another 6-yard score to put the finishing touches on a 35-16 conference victory.
 
Game Highlights
-Alderson Broaddus dominated time of possession 40:43 to 19:17. In the fourth quarter alone, AB possessed the ball for 12:23
-The Battlers ran 93 offensive plays to Malone's 52 plays and outgained the Pioneers 488 to 258
-AB recorded 30 first downs in the game while Malone moved the chains just 13 times
-On the ground, Alderson Broaddus held Malone to 61 yards rushing and a 2.8 yards per carry average. The Battlers ran the football 61 times for 287 and a 4.7 yards per carry average.
 
Malone Individual Highlights
-Junior outside linebacker Josh Correll was all over the field for Malone, tallying 19 total tackles 
-Fellow linebacker Ryan Weber recorded 15 tackles for the Pioneers while safety Daniel Tepe totaled 11 stops and an interception
-Tyler Bowman was in on 10 tackles from his defensive tackle position
-Iacucci finished the day with 197 yards passing on 14 completions
-Dulin caught six balls for 126 yards but had the costly fourth-quarter fumble
 
Alderson Broaddus Individual Highlights
-Jones carried the football 40 times for 230 yards and the first-quarter score
-Bruggeman completed 21-of-32 passes for 203 yards and three scores. He added 27 rushing yards and a touchdown
-Cummings caught a team-high seven passes for 53 yards and two touchdowns
-Safety Michael James totaled eight tackles and a sack while Lee added seven tackles to go along with his forced fumble and recovery
 
Up Next: Malone will host the Haywood Crusaders football team next Saturday at home. Kickoff is set for 2:00 pm.